A Report on Atypical Behaviors.

[Type the document subtitle]

By Harriet Spall

Contents Page:
Page 3:
Schizophrenia
Typical behaviour and symptoms of a schizophrenic
Schizophrenic behaviour explained by the Biological Model
Inheritance of a faulty gene

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The Neurochemical Hypothesis
Brain Dysfunction

Evaluation of Biological Explanations
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Treatment of schizophrenia using a biological method
Evaluation of Biological Treatments
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Typical behaviour and symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder explained by the behaviourist approach
Evaluation of Behaviourist Explanations
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Treatment of OCD using the behaviourist approach
Evaluating a behaviourist approach’s treatment
Typical behaviour and symptoms of phobia
Evaluation of the psychoanalytical model
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Treatment of Phobias using the psychoanalytical model
Evaluation into treating phobias using the psychoanalytical model

Schizophrenia

Typical behaviour and symptoms of a schizophrenic
A person with normal functioning brain allows us to manage our anxiety and keep reasonable control over our emotional responses, establish and maintain healthy relationships with others, maintain a sense of identity and make sense of what happens around us including the ability to tell the difference to distinguish reality from fantasy. A person with schizophrenia may have the following symptoms
Delusions: The distortion of reality, strong paranoia can occur
Hallucinations: most commonly people hear voices.
Illusions: Disturbed perception, voices may sound different- even threatening.
Thought Disturbances: Thoughts cannot be processed effectively.
Emotional & Behavioural Changes: intensity or lack of emotion without reason

Schizophrenic behaviour explained by the Biological Model
Inheritance of a faulty gene
The fact schizophrenia tends to run in families also suggests it is hereditary. Biopsychologists believe that heredity faulty genes in parts of the brain such as the Occipital lobe are caused by or at least part of the reason why people suffer from hallucinations and illusions. Gotttesman (1991) provided evidence that suggested that if schizophrenia was in the family then there is a higher chance of a relative developing the metal illness. The evidence also shows that the closer the relation the higher the chance of developing the illness. I have made a bar chart to clearly show the correlation between closeness of relation to chance of developing schizophrenia.

The Neurochemical Hypothesis
Amphetamines are drugs which release high levels of dopamine, under the influence of these drugs people display similar symptoms, altering their perception of reality. The Dopamine hypothesis states that the brain of a schizophrenic produces more dopamine than that of a normal brain; it is believed that it is the increased dopamine that causes schizophrenic symptoms.

Brain Dysfunction
Advances in medical technology means that the brain can be examined in better detail with more reliable results. MRI scans enable patients with schizophrenia to be examined. Through these examinations it has been found that the ventricles in the brains of schizophrenic people are on average 15% larger. Enlarge ventricles are linked with the negative symptoms found in patients and also respond less effectively to drug treatment.

Evaluation of Biological Explanations
The biological explanation has proved to be a strong one as it has a scientific method of investigation and reliable results. However, Biology cannot provide concrete evidence as to why schizophrenia develops and what causes the abnormal behaviour. In relation to schizophrenia being caused by a faulty gene inherited through parents, there are other reasons which can explain why symptoms may develop. If a child is raised around people with schizophrenia they are likely to mimic actions and become affected by the abnormal surroundings. Therefore